Clutch for drill heads



July 21, 1953 A. B. cRIcHToN, JR., ETAL 2,646,146

CLUTCH FOR DRILL HEADS Filed April 19, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIE:

l .NH

July 21, 1953 A. B. cRlcH-roN, JR., ETAL 2,646,146

v CLUTCH FOR DRILL HEADS Filed April 19, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. B. cRlcH'roN, JR., ETAL CLUTCH FOR DRILL HEADS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 f Filed April 19, 1948 if 0 y whl/ MM Pa'tentecl July 21,:1953

Y CLUTCH FOR DRILL HEADS Andrew B. Crichton, Jr., Johnstown, Pa., and

Carl G. Wennerstrom, Chicago, Ill'.; said Wennei-strom assigner to The Crichton Company, Johnstown, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,894.

v 1 n This invention relates toa drill head'especially applicable in coal mining and other relations of the general character disclosed inv our pending application, Serial No. 6,236, led February 4, 1948, for Coal Mining Apparatus, and our pending application, Serial No. 21,893, iiled of even kdate herewith for a Power Take-Off System. and Apparatus. Y

An important object is to produce, irrespective of any particular source of power, a drill Yhead `wherein the torque capacity of the clutch which controls the operation of the auger, in order to enhance safety of operation, will be in direct proportion to the amount of pressure manually ex.-

I,erted in applying the drill head, enabling the miner to feel his wayv along as he drills and exert ljust enough pressureto revolve the auger, any sticking or jamming of the drill causing slipping of the clutch. y y L l Again, an object is to provide for optional operation of said ldrill head without slippage of the clutch,'especially when the driller wishes to rotate the drill in extracting it.

While it is generally aimed to provide a construction which will carry out the objects and fh Iaims disclosed in the mentioned applications, it is also aimed to provide a novel and preferably lever-controlled mechanism yfor applying the clutch against slippage; to provide a novel detail construction, to provide a construction wherein the clutch plates are maintained against oil seepage, and a construction wherein the drive or augeroperating shaft and associated parts are better balanced and more evenly supported at opposite sides. Y Various additional objects and advantages will in particular be pointed out and otherwise become apparent as vthis description progresses, taken in connection -with the accompanying drawings illustrating one operative embodiment by way of example. In saiddrawings:

Fig. 1 is'a plan view of a drill head constructed in accordance with the invention; Y

, Fig. 2 is a rear view of such drill head ;k

Fig.`3 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 4-4 Vof Figure 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary ysection taken on the' line 5--5 of Fig. 2. .Y

Referring specically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or correspondingparts throughout the different views, `I0 designates a light-weight casing adapted to be 18 Claims. (Cl. 1925-20) rically opposite handles II, to apply a coal drill- Ying auger or other tool (not shown) driven by a hollow drive shaft I2 and attached thereto by means of a socket I3 for example.

Said casing I0 may comprise two or more separate sections I4 and I5 secured together as by bolts I 6. Aligned hubs Il and I8 extend outwardly from the respective said sections and suitably, rotatably and slidably mount the aforesaid tool drive shaft I2 at portions I9 and 29 located on opposite sides of a clutch generally designated C, land which includes a clutch section 2I integral with the shaft I2 provided by enlarged annular portion 22 and a clutch head 23. Clutch C also includes a large hollow section 24 open at one side and having a hub 25 concentric with shaft portion 20. Hollow section 24 is a large gear wheel since a peripheral ange 26 integral therewith extends in the opposite direction to hub 25 and is provided with gear-teeth 2l.

Said integral gear-,wheel 26 drives shaft I2 to operate the coal cutting auger under control of the said clutch C.- Enmeshed with teeth Z'Iare the teeth of a gear wheel 28 formed integral with .Y

a stub shaft 29 removably journalled in bearings 30 on the sections I'I and I8 and `preferably directly in needle or roller bearing structures 3l.

Keyed on shaft 2S is -a pinion 32 enmeshed with a pinion 33 keyed to a driving shaft 34 in unitary relation with and driven by a flexible shaft 35, such shaft 34 being journalled in a bearing 36 in casing section I5 and in ball or needle-bearing structure 3l partly and removably disposed in a bearing opening 38 in section I5. Said shaft 34 with pinion 33 thereon and said part of structure 31 Vare vapplicable and removable through said opening 38.

Said flexible shaft is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power and especially from a short wall coal-cutter or other means necessarily employed in mining operations, as in our previously identified applications for patents.

Reverting to clutch c, it is preferably of the friction type employing a series of separate rings `or disks 39 arranged for frictionalengagement with each other and alternately having guided engagement at marginal notches with any number of splines 40 and 4I carried by flange 26 and enor be relatively fixed as preferred. The hub Il is sealed against the escape of lubricant in any suitable manner as by means of one or more ringv washers 46 retained in place by a ring plate il detachably secured to the outer end of hub Ring washers 4S preferably carry gaskets 138 contacting shaft portion I9.

Said shaft portion terminates in a reduced portion .9 which is journaled and has limitedsliding movement in a suitable ball bearing or equiv-` I2, with a head bearing against a plate 5l which in turn abuts the outer end of shaft portion 49 and the adjacent surface of a race of a ball bearing or equivalent structure 5S. Control rod 55 at screw-threads 6B is adjustably engaged with the `screw-threads of a nut 5l slightly slidable f but non-rotatably located in the bore of hollow shaft I2, as by a lug 62 carried by said shaft and extending into a longitudinal groove 53 of said nut 6 l. A coil spring 613 surrounds rod 55 bearing at one end against said nut and at its other end against a shoulder 55 in the said bore of hollow shaft I2.

It is to be noted that spring 64 may be compressed or varia-'bly tensioned according to the adjustment of the rod 55 andco-acting nut 6I.

Said rod 55 is adapted to be moved to the right, noting Fig. 3, to correspondingly move the tool drive-shaft l2 to the right, against the tension of the spring Ell, and thus apply the clutch section 23 to compact and frictionally bind the clutch p krings or disks 39 and thereby apply the clutch.

To thisrend, a tubular mounting member 65 is slidably mounted in the bore of hub I8, preferably projecting slightly outwardly from said bore. The bearing device 58 is in unitary relation and moves with the tubular mounting member 55 bearing at one side against an inwardly extending flange 61 of the latter, and against the other side thereof an interiorly recessed cap 68 abuts, the latter being screw-threaded at 69 to the interior of the tubular bearing member 55. Thus the cap 58 is readily removable to permit access to and adjustment of the rod 55 through the engagement of the head 55.

Any suitable means may be employed to slide the tubular mounting member outwardly or to the right in Figs. 1 and 3 in order that the plate 5'! and rod 55 will be correspondingly moved since one race of the bearing structure 58 abuts said plate 5l.

As shown, means to accomplish the result stated consists of a lever 'Ill which is pivoted at 1I exteriorly of and to the cap B8, whichlever is also pivoted at 12 to a lug i3 anchored on the hub i8. At the opposite end of lever l5, it is pivoted at T4 iii "or bind them together.

4 to a link I5 in turn pivoted at 'I6 to a shifting lever ll, which at 'I8 is pivoted to a lug 'I9 on said hub I8. Clutch shifting or applying lever 'Il' terminates in a handle 18 of suitable length arr nged relatively close to another one of the handles Il in order that it may be simultaneously grasped with the latter by one hand of the operator when desired.

Presuming the clutch C to be in released posi- I tion, spring 54 is usually neutral or uncompressed Iwhereby plate 5l is maintained in contact with the innerrace member of ball bearing structure 58, and this action is augmented through an urge toslide clutch control rod 55 to the left, if such i spring'd is under compression. In this position, said spring beingrneutral does not bind the clutch section 23 against the friction rings or disks 39 However, when lever il .is pressed at the handle 'E8 toward the adjacent handle-rod 1I (as in Fig. 1) the system of levers and linkage ll--ll applies the clutch by sliding the tubular mounting member 65 slightly to the right, moving the bearing structure 58 with it, also the plate 5l, rod 55, nut SI, compressing or tensioning the spring 64, and slightly moving tool drive shaft I2 to the right and causing clutch section 23 to compact the plates 39 against each other and the hollow section 24.

Attention is called to the fact, however, that this operation is not normally necessary in order to apply the clutch, but is especially useful when an operator desires to extract an auger or tool from the coal. At any rate, such spring iid is adapted to yield ata predetermined degree of tension, as a safety measure, so that the drillhead and drill cannot twist the arms and body of the operator when using the same. The said clutch plates are of such multiplicity and friction contact with each other and with the clutch section 23 and hollow clutch section 2li, that mere pressure of thetool head and auger against the coal by manual effort, will slide the tool drive shaft i2 slightly to the right in Fig. 3, thereby compacting the rings or disks 39 and frictionally binding the same and adjacent faces of clutch sections 23 and 24, it being clear that the clutch C will be released upon relief of the pressure through the expansion ofspring G4 and the pushing action of plate 5l toward the left in Fig. 3

.in view of its contact with bearing structure 58,

, portions journaled and lslidable in said sections,

a gear concentric with andenlarged with respect to said shaft and enclosed by said sections, means to drive said gear, said gear being hollow and having a hub journaling one of said portions and in turn journaled in one ofthe first-mentioned hubs, a clutch head on said shaft opposite to the inner vlateral wall of said gear, friction clutch means in said gear coacting with said wall and clutch' head, a plate overlapping said clutch head and open face of said gear, a hub on said .clutch plate disposed between the other shaft portion and the other of the vnist-mentioned Ihubs in which the latter shaft portion is journaled, and mechanism connected interiorly of a' gear concentric with and enlarged with respect to said shaft and enclosed by said sections, means to drive said gear, said gearV being hollow and having ahub journaling one of said portions and in turn journaled in one of the first-mentioned hubs, a clutch head on said shaft opposite to the inner lateral wall of said gear, friction clutch means in said gear coacting with said wall and clutch head, a plate overlapping said clutch head and open face of said gear, a hub on said clutch plate disposed between the other shaft portion and the other of the first-mentioned hubs. in

which the latter shaft portion is journaled, and e,

mechanism connected interiorly of said shaft operable to slide the shaft to apply the clutch parts, including a part slidable in one of said hubs.

l' 4, Apparatus of the class described comprising separable sectionsforming a casing, each secvtion having an outwardly extending hubintegral therewith, a hollow tool .operating shaft having portions journaled and slidable in said sections, a gearA concentric with and enlarged with respect to said shaft and enclosed by said sections, means to drivesaid gear, said gear being hollow and having a hub journaling one of said portions and Y in'turn journaled in one of the first-mentioned hubs, a clutch head on said shaft opposite to 'the inner lateral wall of said gear, friction clutch means in said gear coacting with said wall and .Clutch head, a plate overlapping said clutch head and `open face of said gear, a hub on said clutch plate disposed between the other shaft portion and. the other of the rst-mentioned hubs in which the latter shaft portion is journaled, mechanism connected interiorly of said shaft operable to slide the shaft to apply the clutch parts, in-

cludinga part slidable in one of said hubs, and lever mechanism operatively pivoted to said slidable part. 1

5.` Apparatus separable sections forming a casing, each section having an outwardlyextending hub integral therewith, a hollow tool operating shaft having portions journaled and slidable in said sections, a gear concentric with and enlarged with respect tosaid shaft and enclosed by said sections, means to drive said gear, said gear being hollow and having a hub journaling one of said portions and in turn journaled in one of the first-mentioned hubs, a clutch head on said shaft opposite to the inner later-al wall of said gear, friction clutch means in said gear coacting with said wall and clutch head, a plate overlapping said clutch head and open face of said gear, a hub on said clutch plate disposed between the lother shaft portion and the other of the first-mentioned hubs in which the latter shaft portion is journaled,

handle means extending from the casing forA manually applying the apparatus and including an element relatively close to the handle means of the class described comprising for gripping jointly therewith, and mechanism operable by said element to slide the shaft to apply the clutch parts. l

j .6. An apparatus of the class v'described having a casing, a tool-operating shaft rotatably and slidablymounted in saidy casing, a gear journaled in said casing, means to drive said gear, clutch means withinthe ycasing connecting said shaft with said gear and controlled through the'sliding of said shaft, and lever mechanism having a lever mounted on the exterior of the casing, said mechanism extending into one end of the shaft and connected interiorly of the shaft to control the sliding of the shaft and the application of the clutch.

7. Apparatus of the class described including a casing having handle means including an element extending from the casing, a lever on said casing having a portion disposed for gripping simultaneously with said element, a tool-operating'shaft journaled in the casing, means to drive said. shaft including. a clutch located within vthe casing, saidshaft being slidable to control the application of the clutch, and mechanism operable `by said lever operatively connected interiorly of said shaft to control the sliding of the latter.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a shaft journaled in said casing adapted to operate an auger or the like, a clutch plate extending from said shaft within the casing, a relatively large gear-wheel in said casing con-L centric therewith, having a hub in which said shaft is journaled and in turn journaled in the casing, clutch means between said plate and gearwheel, means to drive said gear-wheel, said'shaft having a limited axial movement, a rod disposed within the shaft in relatively slidable relation with respect thereto, spring means within said shaft engageable at opposite ends with said Vshaft and the rod, means operable from the exterior of the casing to slide said rod to compress said spring `whereby the latter will slide the shaft and apply the clutch.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a shaft journaled ih said casing adapted to operate an auger or the like, a clutch plate extending from said shaftwithin the casing, a

shaft having a limited axial movement, a rod dis- Y posed within the shaft in relatively slidable relatively slidable relation with respect thereto, spring means within said shaft engageable at opposite ends with said shaft and thev rod, means operable from the exterior of the casing to slide said rod to compress fsaid springwhereby'the latter will slide the shaft and apply the clutch, including a body slidable in the casing, and

means connecting the rod to the body for moveshaft is journaled and in turn journaled in the y casing, clutch means between said plate and gearwheel, means to drive said gear-wheel, said shaftV having a limited axial movement, a rod disposed within the shaft in relatively slidable relation with respect thereto, spring means within said shaft engageable at opposite ends with said shaft and the rod, means operable from the exterior ofthe ,casing to slide said rod to compress said spring whereby the latter will slide the shaft and apply the clutch, including a body slidable in said casing, a bearing carried by said body in which the shaft is rotatable and slidable, a plate through which the rod extends overlapping the bearing to move with the body in one directiony and means operable to slide said body.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a shaft journaled in said casing adapted to operate an auger or the like, a clutch plate extending from said shaft within the casing, a relatively large gear-wheel in said casing concentric therewith, having a hub in which said shaft is iournaled and in turn journaled in the casing, clutch means between said plate and gearwheel, means to drive said gear-wheel, said shaft having a limited axial movement, a rod disposed within the shaft in relatively slidable relation with respect thereto, spring means within said shaft engageable at opposite ends with said shaft and the rod, means operable from the exterior of the casing to slide said rod to compress said spring whereby the latter will slide the shaft and apply the clutch, including a body slidable in said casing, a bearing carried by said body in vhich the shaft is rotatable and slidable, a plate through which the rod extends overlapping the bearing to move with the body in one direction, means operable to slide said body, including a cap detachably connected to the body, and lever mechanism pivoted to the cap and to the casing operable to slide the body.

12, Apparatus of the class described including a casing havingr a hub, a relatively large gearwheel in the casing having a hub journaled in f the first-mentioned hub, gearing to drive said gear-wheel, a bearing, a tool-operating shaft rotatable in the casing including the secondmentioned hub and said bearing, clutch means between the shaft and said gear-wheel, control means for said clutch means including a rod extending slidably into said shaft, a spring surrounding said rod and engaged at opposite ends with said rod and said shaft, a slidable body mounted in said hub carrying said bearing, means associated with the bearing and the rod to cause the latter to slide in one direction with said body, a cap detachably connected to the bodyv and holding said bearing in place therein, and' link and lever mechanism pivoted to the casing and said body.

13. Apparatus of the class described including a casing having a hub, a relatively large gearwheel in the casing having a hub journaled in the first-mentioned hub, gearing to drive said gear-wheel, a bearing, a tool-operating shaft rotatable in the casing including the secondmentioned hub and said bearing, clutch means between the shaft and said gear-wheel, control said mechanism including an operating lever' having a portion disposed relatively close to the handle for gripping simultaneously therewith.

14. Apparatus of the class described including a casing having a hub, a relatively large gearwheel in the casing having a hub journaled in the first-mentioned hub, gearing to drive said gear-wheel, a bearing, a tool-operating shaft rotatable in the casing including the second-menticned hub and said bearing, clutch means between the shaft and said gear-wheel, control means for said clutch means including a rod extending slidably into said shaft, a spring surrounding said rod and engaged at opposite ends with said rod and said shaft, a slidable body mounted in said hub carrying said bearing, means associated with the bearing and the rod to cause the latter to slide in one direction with said body, a cap detachably connected to the body and holding said bearing in place therein, link and lever mechanism pivoted to the casing and said body, and said clutch means including a plate having a hub mounted by the casing and in which the shaft is journaled, said plate being located on the same side of the gear-wheel as said clutch section and overlapping the latter and adjacent a portion of the gear-wheel.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising separable sections forming a casing, each section having a hub, a tool operating shaft having portions journaled and slidable in said sections, a gear concentric with and enlarged with respect to said shaft and enclosed by said casing, means to drive said gear, said gear being hollow and having a hub journaling one of said portions and in turn journaled in one of the first-mentioned hubs, a clutch head on said shaft opposite to the inner lateral wall of said gear, friction clutch means in said gear coacting with said wall and clutch head, a plate overlapping said clutch head and open face of said gear, a hub on said clutch plate disposed between the other shaft portion and the other of the first-mentioned hubs in which the latter shaft portion is journaled, and mechanism operable to slide the shaft to apply the clutch parts.

16. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a shaft journaled in said casing adapted to operate an auger or the like, a clutch plate extending from said shaft within the casing, a gear-wheel in said casing concentric therewith, having a hub in which said shaft is journaled and in turn journaled in the casing, clutch means between said plate and gear-wheel, means to drive said gear-wheel, said shaft having a limited axial movement, adjustment means controlled from the exterior of said casing and being movable relative to said shaft, spring means engageable with said shaft and said adjustment means for controlling the torque delivered by said clutch.

17. Apparatus of the class described including a casing, a gear-wheel journaled in the casing, gearing to drive said gear-wheel, a bearing, a tool-operating shaft rotatable in said bearing, clutch means between the shaft and said gearwheel, control means for said clutch means including a member movable relatively to said shaft, a spring engaged at opposite ends with said member and said shaft, a slidable body carrying said bearing, means associated with the bearing and said member to cause the latter to slide in one direction with said body, and link mechanism pivoted to the casing for sliding said body.

18. An apparatus of the class described having a casing, a tool operating shaft rotatably and slidably mounted in said casing, a gear journaled in said casing subject to thrust imparted by the said shaft, means to drive said gear and bearing 1 s 9 10 device in said casing to take the thrust imposed References Cited in the le of this patent on said gear in operation, clutch means within the casing to connect said shaft with said gear, UNITED STATES PATENTS means-operable interorly of the casing and en- Number Name Date terlng the latter adJacent one end of sald shaft 5 to apply, said clutch means, and. means to slidl human 1 Fgb' l ingly urge said shaft away from said one end to zzgsqz e a n' 3 1942 clutch-releasing position. 1 er Oc l ANDREW B. CRCHTON, JR. CARL G. WENNERSTROM. 10 

